How to become an international driver in Europe. Required documents

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There is a constant shortage of personnel in European countries. Many residents choose to work as managers or in other professions that require them to be in an office. International truck driving is a profession for Slavs. Our citizens love to drive large vehicles, travel, take special care of their vehicles, and are responsible for their cargo. They have proven themselves to be valuable employees. Given that there is a significant shortage of long-distance drivers in Europe and that our country has many people willing to work abroad, the issue is being resolved in a mutually beneficial manner.

What to do

Before going to Europe to get a job, the driver must obtain a category C, E license. To officially work as a truck driver in Poland, it is necessary to have not only a license, but also a Code 95 certificate. By studying at «Mark’s» truck driving school, you can expect that even without driving experience you will be offered an internship upon completion of the course. Do not be discouraged if you are only at the beginning of your journey and have recently obtained a license. There are special Code 95 courses that allow you to learn everything you need about driving correctly on Polish roads and about the laws.

Next, take care of the chip card. This is a special driver’s license that is required for the tachograph to work. In turn, this device is a mandatory item in the driver’s cab. Without it, you cannot work on trucks and buses. Training on the tachograph takes place in code 95 courses. For Belorussians, Ukrainians, and Russians, our school has developed a special training plan that allows you to take a short or long course in comfortable conditions. We are one of the largest schools, so new students always come to us, knowing that we guarantee the legal acquisition of a code 95 certificate in Poland, which helps them complete their training. Mark’s driving school is gaining popularity every year. This is because the manager understands the concerns of clients and employers from the inside. Realizing that Polish transport companies need personnel, our driving school assists in training drivers who will work in Poland. It is a mutually beneficial cooperation.

During the training, the student receives accommodation. We also send an invitation allowing you to apply for a work visa. Believe me, this is very important, since there are many scammers in Poland who are ready to issue you Code 95 in an expedited manner, which will be recognized as invalid during any inspection.

There is initial qualification and periodic training for the driver. The first is taken by everyone whose rights were issued after 09/09/2009. After an intensive course, which is held in a month, you need to confirm your qualifications with a periodic training every five years. Preparation takes place in five days, which includes theory, medical examination. You do not need to take exams.

So, a driver’s license and completion of the course are mandatory. Next, when applying for a job, you must obtain a driver’s card. It is as important a document as those listed earlier.

A medical certificate is issued for a period of five years, but if the doctor sees any deviations in health, he may prescribe examinations more frequently than the specified period. Truck drivers are required to undergo examinations and psychological tests to prove their physical and mental health. The EU government strictly monitors compliance with all laws, considering them important. Drivers who spend long periods of time on the road, away from their families and homes, may experience fatigue and stress, which can lead to distraction, reduced attention, and slower reaction times. Before sending a person on a trip, it is necessary to ensure that they can easily cope with situations on the road.

Who is a truck driver

A truck driver is someone who drives long distances to deliver goods and cargo. He travels across the borders of different countries of the European Union. Usually, truck drivers travel a radius of 200 km, but many believe that long distances are more useful. According to a survey, drivers most of all loved trips on rural highways, the length of which exceeds 800 km. Drivers enjoy the open road and smooth movement on the highway.

Most truck drivers cooperate with companies that have their own fleet, logistics and dispatchers. Organized work facilitates the work of drivers. Dispatchers distribute cargo between company employees so that they can focus on the road.

Another option for drivers is to open their own Transport company. The advantage of team driving is that drivers can maintain the operation of the car when they need time to be at home. But in any case, transport owners can manage their personal time and cargo distribution themselves. They are also responsible for purchasing their own vehicle insurance, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements for electronic logging devices (ELDs), and coordinating cargo. This can make income much more volatile, because he will have to hire a dispatch office.

Some fleets use the services of owner-operators. In this case, only part of the responsibilities falls on the customer company, and issues with insurance, logistics, and fuel consumption have to be resolved by the owner of the vehicle. There are several opportunities to conclude an agreement with a truck driver, but many customers prefer to pay for the delivery itself, and not for each kilometer traveled and hours on the road. All terms of cooperation must be immediately specified in the contract.

What does a truck driver do

Truck drivers spend most of their time on the road and carry many responsibilities. They need to focus on safe driving, maneuvering and maintenance of large vehicles.

They are responsible for the safe loading and unloading of cargo. Drivers can transport various goods, each of which has its own characteristics. For example, cargoes are associated with different loading and transportation problems, including temperature monitoring or additional security measures for fragile items.

Although fleets help facilitate maintenance, most drivers need to maintain vehicles. This means that everything from tire pressure, fluid levels and inspection history must be accurate and in good condition. Ensuring the maintenance of vehicles and safe driving of drivers will help reduce fuel costs and extend the life of the car.

To make a good impression on customers, truck drivers also take care of the car. It needs to be washed, cleaned in the cabin, and wiped the windows.

Regime

The mandatory implementation of the rules is considered the daily routine.

The driver must:

Work no more than 56 hours per week.
Drive for a maximum of 9 hours per day (a deviation of 60 minutes is permitted once every two weeks).
Driving for more than 90 hours within a 14-day period is prohibited.
Working without a break is only permitted for 4.5 hours. Take a 45-minute break.
The daily rest period is 11 hours.

These rules are strictly recorded by the Tachograph, so it will not be possible to deceive the recorder. An experienced driver understands that the night can catch him anywhere. And it is not always adapted for recreation. Because of this, you need to build your route in advance in order to have time to rest in a safe place. The Transport Inspectorate monitors that the truck driver rests as much as required by law, which can check the Tachograph data. If violations are found, the driver and the Transport company will be forced to pay a fine. If an accident occurs on the road, the inspector is obliged to take the driver’s chip card in order to read information from it. If it turns out that he has committed many violations, a criminal penalty may be imposed. What is the difference between long-distance and short-distance trucking

The logical difference between long-distance drivers and short-distance transportation is distance. International trips are usually more than 250 miles, while short distances are often less than 150 miles.

But the driving experience on long and short routes goes far beyond that. Long-distance drivers usually stick to highways for hours or days, moving through cities and smaller roads only at the beginning and end of the route. Even long-distance drivers with many years of experience experience stress when passing steep turns with a tractor with a trailer, so the relative calm when driving on the highway benefits long-distance trucking. Long-distance drivers can travel off-road and highways every day, choosing the most optimal route for their trip.

It is worth considering that a truck driver spends a lot of time on the road, which affects his personal life. It is difficult to build and maintain a family when you are constantly away from home.

Other disadvantages:

work does not depend on the season, time of day, or holidays;
business trips last several days, weeks, or months;
you have to eat fast food and sleep in hostels or right in your office.

These are minor disadvantages that do not scare most truck drivers, who receive decent pay for their work, visit new cities and devote time to their favorite pastime. Each profession has its advantages and disadvantages, but if you build your schedule correctly, you can spend time with your family, earn good money and plan your future.

What problems do long-haul truckers face?

The advantages of freight transportation are associated with a number of problems, but some solutions help experienced truck drivers to deal with them.

1. Fuel costs

Tractor trailers can consume more than 20,000 gallons of diesel fuel per year, so costs are high. Annual expenses can easily exceed $50,000.

Transport companies usually provide their drivers with special credit cards for use when buying fuel, but expenses are one of the biggest problems. One of the easiest ways to save money is to improve driving efficiency. Transport companies try to make the driver’s work as comfortable and highly paid as possible. They facilitate the refueling process by issuing fuel cards that cover fuel costs. In addition, if the driver was able to save on refueling, then you can count on a monetary profit from the employer.

2. Compliance with working hours

There are rules and instructions regarding working hours to help truck drivers manage it to reduce fatigue and prevent accidents. The rules determine how many hours drivers can drive a truck without a break, what time is allotted for rest.

Trucks must use electronic logging devices, also known as Tachograph, to track vehicle activity, such as engine operation. This ensures that the truck driver complies with the rules. Data from the Tachograph cannot be rewritten. The information is stored on the device for a whole year and must be available to law enforcement agencies in case of inspection.

3. Rejected deliveries

Truck drivers sometimes face the fact that the customer refuses to pick up the cargo. There may be many reasons why customers reject delivery, from incorrectly loaded or spoiled goods to delayed deadlines. Deliveries can cost thousands of dollars, and this is a very negative factor for drivers, who sometimes cover part of the costs.

Each truck model has specific loading conditions. Cargo platforms must be carefully secured, as they are in the open air. Drivers may need to cover them with tarpaulins if rain and wind can damage the cargo. On the other hand, refrigerated cargo needs careful temperature control throughout the journey to ensure that the goods do not spoil. It is necessary to fulfill all the requirements for the transportation of goods in order to deliver them on time and in the form in which it is prescribed in the rules.

How to become a truck driver

If you like to drive a big car, you like to travel and be in different living conditions, then the profession is created for you. Considering that the payment will be high, this attracts many people.

To become an international truck driver, you must obtain a category C, E license. Even if you do not have experience, you can study at our driving school and get a Code 95 certificate. After receiving the document, we will help you find a job in a company where you can undergo an internship.

Be sure to take a Code 95 course in Poland. It is necessary for those who are going to work as a truck driver in the countries of the European Union. Here you do not have to study English or Polish to pass exams or pass tests. In addition, the company will provide a medical examination service. Students do not have to look for specialists on their own.

Theory and practice are conducted in Russian. You will understand everything that the instructor says. You will be taught how to use the Tachograph, reverse, park, and properly fasten the straps for the cargo. The school will teach you how to save fuel and choose the right route, and tell you how to pay for roads. The Code 95 certificate is issued upon completion of training. It gives the right to work as a truck driver in Poland. Upon completion of training, our company will recommend you to employers who need personnel.

For three years of its existence, our school has been able to train a large number of students from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Understanding that the level of wages here is higher, many truck drivers try to switch to an employer from Poland. Here they honor the law, value work, and respect their employees. Our students are employed both on a temporary object and on a permanent one. Having experience, legal documents and a great desire to earn money, you can find a decent company to get a job in.